Celebrity Cruise Suite tipping

[CaroltheB]

When staying in a Celebrity Suite, are the Butler's tips included in the usual gratuities? If not, what is the suggested amount?

Also, I've noticed some people giving additional tips in Luminae. Again, how much and to whom, as there is the sommelier, waiter, water glass refiller, pastry/rolls/bread person, and others. Does one tip all of them? And how much?

No one has ever addressed this issue with us before, so looking to avoid a faux pas.

Thanks

[CHEZMARYLOU]

The butler is included in the gratuity for suites.

 

They share tips in Luminae so ff we give extra we just give an envelope to the maître 'd for the staff to divide. The sommelier is not part of the tip pool so we just give them their own tip.

[celebrity cruiser]

Hi CaroltheB

Hoping the B does not stand for what I think it may be. LOL

 

So if you've prepaid gratuities, or schedule them to be paid on account on a daily basis, you are covered in full for tips.

 

That said, since the crew is usually so good to us, and work so hard handling our every need and requests, we always give more. The amount is up to you. For example, There are times in the retreat lounge that I have tipped every time we are served, I have also tipped the retreat server on other cruises at the end rather then each time.

 

You are tipping for service and extras. If your waiter does extra for you or your assistant remembers your ice tea every time, in our mind, that is deserving of more.

 

If your Matre'd sets you up in a special way or your butler and room attendant have things fixed the way you have told them you like it, that is worth something,

 

We usually use the envelope system and thank them for their service with extra money on the last evening. It is always appreciated.

 

To conclude tipping an individual thing. Some would never tip while others tip the scale over. Most are somewhere in the middle.

 

In the end it is what you feel comfortable doing for others.

 

Smooth Sailing and enjoy your sky suite.

 

 

 

 

[celebrity cruiser]

CELEBRITY SUITE sorry

[jbcallender]

On a week long cruise in a Celebrity Suite on Millie - we gave our butler $50, he was OK, not spectacular and not many requests from us.  We gave the Steward $50.  We have given more on other cruises, just didn't feel the connection with them this time.  Our Luminae server and assistant each $50 and they were excellent.

 

 

 

[George C]

16 minutes ago, jbcallender said:

On a week long cruise in a Celebrity Suite on Millie - we gave our butler $50, he was OK, not spectacular and not many requests from us.  We gave the Steward $50.  We have given more on other cruises, just didn't feel the connection with them this time.  Our Luminae server and assistant each $50 and they were excellent.

 

 

 

We also tip extra to butler and room steward and I tip with each meal in Luminae and specialty restaurants. Amount depends on level of service but similar to your tips.

[peanut head]

53 minutes ago, celebrity cruiser said:

Hi CaroltheB

Hoping the B does not stand for what I think it may be. LOL

 

So if you've prepaid gratuities, or schedule them to be paid on account on a daily basis, you are covered in full for tips.

 

That said, since the crew is usually so good to us, and work so hard handling our every need and requests, we always give more. The amount is up to you. For example, There are times in the retreat lounge that I have tipped every time we are served, I have also tipped the retreat server on other cruises at the end rather then each time.

 

You are tipping for service and extras. If your waiter does extra for you or your assistant remembers your ice tea every time, in our mind, that is deserving of more.

 

If your Matre'd sets you up in a special way or your butler and room attendant have things fixed the way you have told them you like it, that is worth something,

 

We usually use the envelope system and thank them for their service with extra money on the last evening. It is always appreciated.

 

To conclude tipping an individual thing. Some would never tip while others tip the scale over. Most are somewhere in the middle.

 

In the end it is what you feel comfortable doing for others.

 

Smooth Sailing and enjoy your sky suite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is very similar to what we do.  In addition, we will sometimes, if the service has truly been above and beyond, will write a thank you note to the director/supervisor/officer in charge of the employee's department to go into his/her/their file.

 

Whatever you give, or don't give, should not impact the service you get.

 

 

[jelayne]

We give the Luminae MaitreD an envelope with any additional tip as the staff pool their tips.  We find it much easier than trying to get a envelope to the number of staff we have wait on us during the cruise.

 

We do the same for the Retreat Lounge Staff. 
 

 

[Liao]

4 hours ago, CaroltheB said:

When staying in a Celebrity Suite, are the Butler's tips included in the usual gratuities? If not, what is the suggested amount?

Also, I've noticed some people giving additional tips in Luminae. Again, how much and to whom, as there is the sommelier, waiter, water glass refiller, pastry/rolls/bread person, and others. Does one tip all of them? And how much?

No one has ever addressed this issue with us before, so looking to avoid a faux pas.

Thanks

OP, all tipping is included, assuming you either pre-pay before the cruise or go with the daily add on during the cruise.  There is no obligation what-so-ever to tip anyone or any amount beyond what is already paid or charged daily.  If you buy a drink package, all tips have also been baked into that cost.  If you do not and decide to just pay as you go for drinks, alcohol or non, I suppose one would tip like they do at home, not knowing your location, this may or may not be your custom.  

[Jim_Iain]

We usually tip extra for Waiter, Sommelier, Butler and Room Attendant.   That is based on above and beyond service.

 

If someone just does their job then we do not tip extra but if they go above and beyond to make our vacation more enjoyable we tip in the range of $5-10 per day extra.

[canderson]

5 hours ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

The sommelier is not part of the tip pool so we just give them their own tip.

Good thing to remember in that calculation is that every $100 bottle of ($40) wine you buy generates another automatic $20 tip which goes straight to the sommelier's paycheck.  So any additional needs to be for a reason.

[alexandria]

29 minutes ago, Liao said:

If you buy a drink package, all tips have also been baked into that cost.  If you do not and decide to just pay as you go for drinks, alcohol or non, I suppose one would tip like they do at home, not knowing your location, this may or may not be your custom.  

Celebrity adds a twenty (20%) percent gratuity to all non-package drink purchases.  They also do that if you pay extra for a premium drink not listed in your package.

[Liao]

2 minutes ago, alexandria said:

Celebrity adds a twenty (20%) percent gratuity to all non-package drink purchases.  They also do that if you pay extra for a premium drink not listed in your package.

Good point and 20% gratuity/drink is very generous.

[George C]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

We give the Luminae MaitreD an envelope with any additional tip as the staff pool their tips.  We find it much easier than trying to get a envelope to the number of staff we have wait on us during the cruise.

 

We do the same for the Retreat Lounge Staff. 
 

 

We tip with every drink , then normally tip concierge at end of the week and additional tips to some retreat staff.

[Liao]

22 minutes ago, canderson said:

Good thing to remember in that calculation is that every $100 bottle of ($40) wine you buy generates another automatic $20 tip which goes straight to the sommelier's paycheck.  So any additional needs to be for a reason.

And they are already among the higher paid crew on the ship.

[jelayne]

24 minutes ago, canderson said:

Good thing to remember in that calculation is that every $100 bottle of ($40) wine you buy generates another automatic $20 tip which goes straight to the sommelier's paycheck.  So any additional needs to be for a reason.

Do we know they get the entire $20?  What about glasses of wine when included in the beverage package?  I’ve always wondered how much actually goes to the Sommlier or bartender vs the cellar master, back bar staff, etc. 

[canderson]

2 minutes ago, Liao said:

And they are already among the higher paid crew on the ship.

I'm wondering if that's universally true.  While on a given Celebrity cruise there may be a VERY small number with the qualifications to actually use the title, there also seem to be a much larger number who are less well informed - some are total rookies - recently promoted wait staff in some cases.  Surely there are some big pay scale differences among them.

 

After our amazing Silversea sommelier experience (and I don't know if it was typical or not, being our first), I'm really going to need to reset my expectations again.

[RichYak]

11 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Do we know they get the entire $20?  What about glasses of wine when included in the beverage package?  I’ve always wondered how much actually goes to the Sommlier or bartender vs the cellar master, back bar staff, etc. 

TBH, I've stopped caring. I tip whatever amount I feel is appropriate, in the manner in which I feel is appropriate. Whatever happens in the black hole of Celebrity tip pooling is none of my concern.

[CaroltheB]

7 minutes ago, RichYak said:

TBH, I've stopped caring. I tip whatever amount I feel is appropriate, in the manner in which I feel is appropriate. Whatever happens in the black hole of Celebrity tip pooling is none of my concern.

I agree that it is not up to us to understand the black hole of tipping. But I also agree that tipping what I feel is appropriate IS appropriate, and if the butler or room steward are not in that pool, I would like to add my part, based on service, not so much as ADDITIONAL tip, but not wanting there to be a lack of one altogether. This information does not seem to be clear on their website and just trying to find out what is what.

[Liao]

7 minutes ago, CaroltheB said:

I agree that it is not up to us to understand the black hole of tipping. But I also agree that tipping what I feel is appropriate IS appropriate, and if the butler or room steward are not in that pool, I would like to add my part, based on service, not so much as ADDITIONAL tip, but not wanting there to be a lack of one altogether. This information does not seem to be clear on their website and just trying to find out what is what.

Tipping if/when/how you want is of course appropriate, that is your decision to make.  The room steward and butler are included in the tipping pool, how much or what %, IDK, but they are included.  Many tip more (or so they say) to both.

Edited August 29 by Liao
sp

[RichYak]

12 minutes ago, CaroltheB said:

and if the butler or room steward are not in that pool

The butler and room steward are in that pool.

[Lastdance]

We had an exceptional butler on a b2b.  This individual was as close to perfect for our needs, as it gets; however, our needs are very simple, yet his personality, temperament and smile were priceless, thus we ended up going above and beyond when tipping.  It was then we found out how very gracious he was, as his wife was expecting in the very near future.  Sometimes you encounter someone who made each and every day very enjoyable because of one special individual.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Lastdance said:

We had an exceptional butler on a b2b.  This individual was as close to perfect for our needs, as it gets; however, our needs are very simple, yet his personality, temperament and smile were priceless, thus we ended up going above and beyond when tipping.  It was then we found out how very gracious he was, as his wife was expecting in the very near future.  Sometimes you encounter someone who made each and every day very enjoyable because of one special individual.

We had such an experience in Dec 2021.  His name was Anu.  An individual you'd really want to spend your time with in a more normal setting.

 

He set a really high bar for all that have come after. 

[DaKahuna]

4 hours ago, canderson said:

Good thing to remember in that calculation is that every $100 bottle of ($40) wine you buy generates another automatic $20 tip which goes straight to the sommelier's paycheck.  So any additional needs to be for a reason.

 

 I have never seen any evidence that the sommelier gets the entire gratuity.  I always thought it went to Celebrity and that the sommerlier gets some portion of it.  How did you find out they received it all? 

 

[canderson]

37 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I have never seen any evidence that the sommelier gets the entire gratuity.  I always thought it went to Celebrity and that the sommerlier gets some portion of it.  How did you find out they received it all? 

 

Don't know.  Guess one or two people associated with the service might get a piece, but it's the somm's incentive to sell.  The only other two people with actual skin in that particular game (wine sales) are the F&B Manager and Hotel Director, and their incentive plans certainly wouldn't include dipping into the tip jar!

 

I'll have to check next time.